Ricciardo reflects on his McLaren years and his loss of confidence

And if the break imposed on Daniel Ricciardo was his best way to recover from the difficult years at McLaren ? The Australian had lost the smile that made the former pilot Red Bull an emblematic figure of the paddock. In papaya, Ricciardo is extinct. Suffering from comparison with his young teammate Lando Norris, in car delicate which did not suit his driving style even after two seasons, Ricciardo was dismissed in favor of his compatriot Oscar piastri. Thunderbolt for the man who was still destined to win Grands Prix, being the last to have brought a cup back to the McLaren garage in Monza, in 2021.

The Australian remains on the grid, at the distance imposed by the role of third driver of a reigning world champion team. The opportunity for him to openly look back on his beginnings and his state of mind: “ For several years I sincerely believed that I was the best and that, as the best driver in the world, I would be able to overcome any situation » he confides to Speedcafe.com.

In a Red Bull house that is too narrow with the arrival of Max Verstappen, Ricciardo was betting on Renault, then that of McLaren. And it was within the Woking team that the driver realized that he “ was not the perfect pilot. I have weaknesses, these are things that I will keep within myself. »

« With the chance to take a step back and looking at the previous two years, I would have done things differently if the opportunity presented itself, he continues about his arrival in Zak Brown’s structure. Pmaybe I would have asked more questions, or been more demanding. » But the Australian specifies that he does not blame McLaren, and puts it on his account “ a part of responsibility » in the failure of his collaboration with the team.

Ricciardo from 'coming home'

The emergency exit was ready for Ricciardo who, in this 2023 season, is once again officiating at Red Bull. “ You live and you learn, so I have no regrets, he assumes. It's a situation that I overcame. And, now, being back at Red Bull, I feel like the confidence I had is no longer what I had in the past »

Loss of confidence behind the wheel of a Formula 1 that Christian Horner noticed, the main team of the Austrian garage declaring that he had “ didn't recognize the Daniel from a few years ago »… even in the simulator: “ I was probably a little shy in the simulator, trying to downplay what was going to happen, says Ricciardo about his first day as a reserve for the Milton Keynes team. But as the day progressed, I felt more and more comfortable, as if being back in the car was a return home. This first day invigorated me. »

The sky seems to be clearing for the holder of 8 victories in the premier category, who is watching from the Red Bull garage the perfect start to the season for his team. Three races, three victories, two for Max Verstappen and one for Sergio Pérez. And if one of these two starters were to withdraw from one of the 20 remaining rounds of the championship, Ricciardo could well find his suit and his helmet... 

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